The formation of such a commission asserted that England
held feudiary authority over Scotland.
The objections of the Bishop of Ross to any such authority were laughed
away. The trial began. The preliminary conditions
are outlined in Froude:
The conditions under which Elizabeth generally thought
that the Queen of Scots might be restored have been already partially stated:—The
confirmation of the treaty of Leith, an engagement that no future league should
be made with France, a promise that she should not marry without the Queen of
England’s consent, the punishment of the murderers of the King, the maintenance
of Murray at the head of the de facto government, and, as a compensation, the
recognition of the Hamilton title; and finally, the establishment in Scotland of
the forms and constitution of the Anglican Church.[1]
All of the concessions Mary had refused in past quarrels
between the kingdoms were to be accepted.
Trial by an English court was to be accepted. The titles and lands of the House
of Hamilton which Mary had given over to her French ally Chatelherault were to
be restored. Beyond this, the trial was certain
to arrive at accusations against Mary’s behavior as queen that served the
interests of the English Court exceptionally well.
As these facts began to reveal themselves, over the course
of the proceedings, Mary instructed her councilors to withdraw. The trial
continued without her, taking the testimony of her rebellious leaders. In this
letter, Elizabeth affects to be saddened by the outcomes of the trial from
which her cousin so unwisely chose to withdraw. Mary was the guilty party, it
seems. The testimony saddens her for Mary’s sake. How sad that England will not
be able to return her to her throne.
Madame,[2] whilst your cause hath bene here treated upon, we thought it not nedefull to write any thing thereof unto you, supposing alwayes that your commissioners wold thereof advertise as they saw cause; and sithen they have broken this conference, by refusing to make answer, as they say, by your commandement, and for that purpose they returne to you, although we thinke you shall by them perceive the whole proceeding, yet we cannot but let you understand by these our letters, that as we have bene very sory of long tyme, for your mishappes and great troubles, so find we our sorrowes now doubled in beholding such thinges as are produced to prove yourself cause of all the same. And our grief herein is increased, in that we did not thinke at any tyme, to have seen or heard such matter of so greate apparaunces and moment to charge and condempne you. Nevertheles, both in frendship, nature, and justice, we are moved to cover these maters, and stay our judgement, and not to gather any sense therof to your prejudice, before we may heare of your direct answer therunto, according as your commissioners understand our meaning to be, which at their request is delivered to them in writing. And as we trust they will advise you for your honor to agree to make answer, as we have mentioned them, so surely we cannot but as one prynce and near cousine regarding another, most earnestly as we may in termes of frendship require and charge you not to forbeare from answering. And for our part we are heartely sory and dismayed to finde suche matter of your charge, so shall we be as heartely gladde and well content to
here of
sufficient matter for your discharge ; and although we doubt not, you are well
certified of the diligence and care of your ministers having your commission,
yet can we, not besides an allowance generallie of them, specially note to you
your good choice of the bearer the Bishoppe of Rosse, who hathe not onely
faithfully and wisely, but also so carefully and dutifully, for your honor and
weale, behaved himself, and that both privately and publikely, as we cannot but
in this sorte commende him unto you as we wishe you had suche devoted discrete
servants; for in our judgement, we thinke, ye have not any in loyalty and
faithfulness overmatche him: and thus we are the bolder to write, considering
we take it the beste triall of a good servaunte, to be in adversitie, out of
which we wish you to be delivered, by the justification of your innocency. And
so trusting to heare shortly from you, we make an ende.
Given at Hampton Court, under our signet, the 21st of
December, 1568, in the eleventh yeare of our reigne.
Your good Sistar and Cousin,
Elizabeth R.
[1] Froude, James Anthony. History of England from the Fall of
Wolsey to the Defeat of the Spanish Armada (1903), Volume VIII. 390.
[2] Queen
Elizabeth and Her Times, a Series of Original Letters (1838). I.302-4.
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